HIV-infected porn actors call for condom use

BY JOHN ROGERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES -- A handful of HIV-positive porn actors called on the adult film industry Wednesday to require that condoms be used on all film sets, saying a recent outbreak of infections proves the industry's mandate that performers be tested every 14 days isn't working.

The actors spoke at a news conference called by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the group that lobbied successfully last year for Los Angeles County to adopt a condom requirement for most adult films. A U.S. District Court upheld the law last month, but the porn industry has promised to appeal.

"Condoms in porn is not really that crazy a thing," said Rod Daily, who said he discovered he was infected last month. "If they do care that much about the performers, they would use condoms."

Industry officials have said when they tried using condoms after an HIV outbreak nine years ago, the $7 billion-a-year business saw revenue decline as much as 30 percent as audiences made it clear they don't want them.

"Ultimately it's just a big industry, and their main concern is money," said Daily, who was among six current and former porn actors to speak on the subject.